I love this cue!  This is classic Gus Szamboti work.  It isn't fancy, but in my mind it is what a cue is "supposed" to look like.  I'd love to be able to play with a Gus Szamboti cue to see how it plays.

This cue is owned by the legendary Danny DiLiberto and was used to achieve his personal best run of 14.1, which must have been a pretty big run.

This is Danny DiLiberto's personal Gus Szamboti cue.

This cue is featured over at Cuezilla.com.  If you haven't checked out that site, you should.  They have some very unique cues that you can enjoy and give your rating and opinions.  It is a great site for cue enthusiasts.

Here is their description of the cue...

The pictured Gus Szamboti cue features four ebony points each with four veneers of black/mahogany/blue/natural into a Birdseye maple nose. The butt is Ebony with Birdseye Maple boxes and two stitch rings. The cue is all original and was made for Danny Deliberto. There is documentation that makes claim to it being used in Danny’s highest run in 14.1 straight pool. This cue also features four Ivory spearhead inlays in the base of the points...(go to Cuezilla...)

I love the look of a full-spliced cue and the classic spear-heads that Gus used in his designs.  This cue may seem very plain to many pool players and cue fans, but I love the classic design of this cue.

What do you think of this cue?  If you've played with a Gus Szamboti cue, let me know what your experience was.

Cheers,
Skippy

P.S.  Gus' son, Barry, is now carrying on the family legacy and makes some awesome cues as well.

Recently, I was contacted by someone who has a rare Jim Rempe series cue.  We discussed the cue and were trying to determine it's history and value.  This cue is pretty cool.   The first thing you notice is the extra insert that splits up the wrap area.

Check out the insert and graphics inside the wrap area.

Vintage Jim Rempe cue by Meucci

I've never seen a Meucci cue quite like it before.  You can tell to look at it that it is from the 80's time-period.  If you don't know, Jim Rempe was "The King" back then.  He was still playing world-class pool and was the face of Meucci cues.  There were many pro pool players sponsored by Meucci back then, but Rempe was the leader of the pack, IMHO.

I was hoping that someone out there that might know more about it.  The owner purchased the cue brand new some time in the late 80's from a cue dealer named Joe Davitt (I think in the .  He had talked with Jim Rempe about the cue years ago.  Rempe called the cue a "JR Special" and thought it could be quite valuable.  Also, he talked to Bob Meucci (Owner of Meucci Cues) about the cue.  Bob thought it was a rare cue with a very limited production of maybe 50 cues.  That being said, it looks like this cue is quite unique and valuable.

Collectible Muecci Cue with very few produced

JR Special Meuccie Cue - Forearm

He might part with the cue someone is serious of acquiring it.  He has the original shaft that came with the cue.  He also has an It's George eelskin case that he purchased at the same time 20+ years ago...

It's George Eelskin tube cue case

Do you have any ideas about the history or value of this cue?  If so, please comment below or send me a personal message through my contact me page.

If your interested in making an offer on this cue, contact me through my conact page or call me at 240.344.6035

Cheers,
Skippy

In this video, Ralf Souquet opens up his cue case and reveals all of his secret pool gadgets and the other necessities of a traveling billiards-superstar.

Ralf Souquet (aka "The Kaiser") is a truely legendary player from Germany. He has been playing competitive pool for over 2 decades at a very high level. He has an amazing tournament record including over 250 wins including many European titles and US titles in an array of pool disciplines. He has world championships in 9ball, 8ball and 10ball. He is a US Open 9 Ball Champion and a US Open 14.1 champion. Bottom-line, if there is a big tournament, don't ever count out Ralf, he is a true champion.

OK...Let's find out what a world-travelling professional pool-playing superstar keeps in his pool cue bag of tricks...

Ralf has been playing with a Joss cue for some time and is working out an endorsement deal with them (at the time of this video). He uses a Predator 314 2nd generation shaft with his cue. His Joss cue is a one-of-a-kind, but here are some other Joss designs...



Joss JOS62 Bloodwood, Figured Maple and Holly Diamonds Pool Cue Stick




Joss JOS61 Bloodwood, Ebony and Holly Pool Cue Stick




Joss JOS07 - Holly Inlays Pool Cue Stick

These are just a few examples of Joss' work. I've always liked their cues. IMO, they are a high-quality cue for the money.

Ralf was carrying a Predator Air Jump cue like this one...



Predator Air Jump Cue

Let's keep looking, because Ralf's case is jam-packed with gadgets and supplies. Here are some of them with links, so you can stock your case, just like THE KAISER...



A Towel to wipe his hands and/or cue




A bunch of Moori Tips




A Cue Cube to shape his tip.




A Brad Scuffer, which is another way to scuff his cue tip.




A Q Wiz to clean and polish his cue shaft. This little gadget works great. I agree with Ralf when he says it is one of his favorite items.




This Cue Dude cue holder looks ingenious! I'm planning on trying one of these. I've seen many versions of cue holders, a lot of them home-made, but this one is very compact and more gentle on your cue...compared to the ones that I have seen.



Ralf carries the Justa Bridge, which is, maybe, the best bridge design I've seen so far. It slips on the end of your break cue or a house cue. It's well worth the little extra money over the cheaper bridges or a house bridge.



He also carries a Moosehead type bridge for a little bit of convenience over the Justa Bridge.

Ralf also carries Blue Diamond chalk, which seems to be popular with many of the pro pool players. He carries, yet-another, tip shaper/burnisher and some lucky charms...it seems to work for him. You'll see he carries some other supplies, too, like pain relievers, etc. That is a good idea.

Anyhow...here is the video interview from insidepool...I hope it helps you.

Cheers,
Skippy

In this video, future Pro Player, Landon Shuffet, reveals what he keeps in his cue case.

Landon Shuffet is an up-and-coming young player.  He has a lot of talent and experience for someone his age.  I think he was 14 at the time of this video.  Listening to him, you might not realize that he is that young.  For his age, he is very knowledgable and tournament tested.  He is one of the future super-stars in the contigency of U.S. players.

So let's find out what secret weapons Landon has hidden in that beautiful Jack Justis Case of his....

Landon has a rather odd combination of butts and shafts.  He is playing with a Predator Butt and an OB-2 Shaft. He says that he had played with an
OB-1 Cue Shaft
for a few years and loved it a lot, but the new OB-2 shaft is even better, definetly an upgrade in his opinion. He plays with a
Moori tip (Medium Hardness)
.


That is the same tip that I have used in the past and liked very much. It is a pigskin tip with 11 layers of lamination. They are very popular tips.
His setup is the same for his break cue. He has the Predator BK2 Break cue (butt only) and he uses an OB shaft designed for break cues. He likes the feel of the OB shaft for breaking compared to the Predator shaft.



Predator BK2 - Break Cue with No Wrap

Landon carries a jump cue made by Steve Lomax who makes the Bunjee jump cues. Landon swears by these jump cues and thinks they are the best jump cue out there.



Bunjee Jump Cue - Ebony

One of the coolest pool gadgets to come out in recent history is the pool cue extensions. Landon carries one that is called the Cue Reach and I like it a lot, too, because they allow you to shoot "reach" shots much more naturally...without stretching and losing accuracy. Worth the small cost IMHO.



Cue Reach Pool Cue Extension

Everything else is sort of basic stuff...


a towel



Ultra Glide Hand Talc




Smooth Slide Burnishing paper similar to Nicks Edge shown here

...and a tip tool.
All of this stuff is held in a custom made Jack Justis case that is beautiful. Jack makes great cases that are very functional, too. Landon is a lucky guy to have that case.
Here is the video with Landon...thanks to InsidePoolMag.com for providing the interview.

Cheers,
Skippy

In the video below, professional player and pool playing legend, Johnny Archer, reveals what he keeps inside his pool case.

Johnny Archer, aka "The Scorpion", is one of the most successful professional players of the last couple of decades. He is about the same age as me, so I have enjoyed watching him play many matches over the years. He has won just about every major title and has amassed a long list of victories over the last 20+ years of competitive pool. He is a great player and an invaluable asset to the sport of pool IMO, so when he reveals what's in his cue case, I want to sit-up and pay attention.

So just what does he carry....

Obviously, Johnny has some Scorpion Cues in his case, after-all, he helped design them.  You should watch the video to get some more insight into Johnny's opinion about these cues. He carries 3 cues in his bag along with several extra shafts. Let's break-down his cue selection. I'll give you some more details about these cues, just in case you are interested in finding one.
First is his main playing cue. He is playing with the JA-03 model of Scorpion cue. Johnny mentions that he likes to play with a Triangle brand tip on his cue. Here are some links to this exact model of cue and the specs for it.



Scorpion JA03 - Johnny Archer Signature Pool Cue Stick

The specs...

Similar to the Cuetec shafts, the Scorpion cue shafts are coated with fiberglass to protect the cue. Johnny seems to play well with those shafts, so I guess that speaks for itself.
His second cue was a Scorpion Break cue. Here are some links to this cue if your interested along with the specs for this cue.



Scorpion Break Pool Cue Stick

Here are the specs for this cue...
Tip: 13mm Proprietary Extra Hard Leather Tip
Ferrule: Stainless Steel breaker ferrule
Shaft: Black 29" Hard rock maple with fiberglass power bonded to it. 12 - 14" pro taper
Collar: Black Composite
Joint: Black Composite
Pin: 3/8 x 14 stainless steel
Forearm: Solid black forearm
Rings: Exclusive Power Rings
Wrap: Exclusive Power Rings
Sleeve: Black
Plate: None
Bumper: Black rubber
He also had a Scorpion jump cue in his case, which he seemed to like. He mentioned that he worked with the manufacturer to develop the jump cues. Johnny is a great jumper, so I would give them a try. Here is the information on that cue...



Scorpion Jump Pool Cue Stick

The specs for the Scorpion jump cue...
Tip: Proprietary super-hard leather jump tip
Ferrule: Brass
Shaft: 13-14" pro taper
Collar: Stainless Steel
Pin: 3/8 x 14 stainless steel
Forearm: Solid black forearm with blue and gold scorpion logo
Wrap: Black Veltec
Sleeve: Black
Bumper: Black rubber

Other than the insight into his cues, he doesn't reveal to many secret weapons on his bag of tricks. If you ever seen him play, you know that he uses a lot of powder, so he had that. Oddly enough, he had a ton of chalk in his case...apparently, he likes to swipe the chalk cubes off of tables, so watch your chalk around him
I wish he would have mentioned who made his cue case. If you know, comment below, I'm sure others would be interested.
It looks like he's a bit of a minimalist, like myself, when it comes to his supplies in his case (unless he's holding-out on us). I never carry too many gadgets in my case, either.
Anyhow...here is the video...Thanks to InsidePool for making this interview available.

BTW, if you like Johnny's cues...you can get 20% Off Scorpion Pool Cues


Cheers,
Skippy

Cuetec cues are different than most of the cues on the market today. Their shafts are not solid maple like most cues out there. They are made of a wood core coated with a "power-bonded" hi-tech synthetic material. The idea being to create a shell that protects the cue from dings and warping. The result is a cue that feels different, to the touch, compared to a traditional cue. This may or may-not be to your liking. It is a matter of personal preference.

Their cues, also, feature a system for you to adjust the weight of the cue. This is nice for people that have different preferences. Your preference for the weight may change over time. This gives you the option to change it later. Also, they use Tiger tips on their cues. They have several lines of products...

Cuetec Edge 360 Cues
Features:

• The R360 is constructed with a tubular composite core surrounded by 4 computer cut "A Plus" grade Canadian maple pieces to ensure an exact fit.
• Exclusive Explorer tip (11 layers)
• Polished stainless steel joint
• Irish linen wrap
• Graphit core - reduced cue ball deflection
• Cuetec's exclusive shaft/ferrule construction
• 15.5" pro tapered shaft
• Maximum radial consistency ensures cue ball control
• Veneer inlays of exotic hard woods and Abalone shell
• Composite core controls deflection, squirt and prevents warpage
• Adjustable weight bolt system
• MSRP $300 (find better prices on this page)

Cuetec Python Cues
Features:

• Multi-layered leather tip
• Polycarbonate ferrule
• Tru-Glide Finish
• Stainless Joint
• Irish linen or Cuetec Softec grips
• Graphite core provides increased power
• Graphite core reduces cue ball deflection
• 15.5" pro taper shaft
• Power bonded fiberglass increases radial conistency
• Adjustable weight bolt system
• MSRP $300 (look on this page for great deals)

Cuetec Youth Model
Features:

• Specially sized for kids
• 14oz. weight
• 48" long
• All youth cues have full length SST shafts
• MSRP $69 (look on this page for great deals on Cuetec children's cue)

Cuetec Denali
Features:

• Polycarbonate ferrule
• Veltex and Irish linen grips
• Stainless Joint
• Tiger Everest multi-layer tip
• Adjustable weight bolt system
• Cuetec's power bonded fiberglass SST shaft
• Rubber bumber accepts the patented Cuetec Smart Extension
• MSRP $169 (look on this page for better prices)

Cuetec Meteor Break Cue
Features:

• Constructed for the perfect balance between control and power
• Meteor 5 layer cowhide tip
• Maple shaft & butt Power-Bonded with high tech composite material
• MSRP $130

Cuetec Sky Jump Cue
Features:

• The first jump cue to feature multiple weighted butts
• Quick-release joint to change butts quickly
• Use the short distance butt to jump balls as close as 1" apart.  Use the long distance butt to jump balls over 8" apart.
• Phenolic tip/ferrule combo

These are just a few of the more popular Cuetec lines of cues.  Look on this page for more options and deals.

I'm sure you've heard of Cuetec Cues if you've watched pool on ESPN over the last few decades. That is because they have endorsed a couple of pool legends that have had a lot of face-time on the mainstream sports network. Of course, the perennial champion, Allison Fisher, has been endorsed by Cuetec since 1995, shortly after she arrived in the U.S. from England. Since her arrival, she has dominated women's professional pool. She has over 50 WPBA titles and more than 20 international titles to her credit.

Needless to say, her cuetec cue has treated her very well. Here is what she has to say about cuetec...

Cuetec has supported me for many years now and I have been very happy with the equipment I am using. I played with the same butt and SST shaft from my signature line for 10 years, and recently switched to an inlayed Cuetec cue with the new R360 shaft. The cue is not only nice looking; it also has great balance and feel. Furthermore, because the R360 has minimal deflection, it takes much of the guess-work out of aiming. It’s making a big difference to my game and confidence.

Earl Strickland was another, long-time, proponent of Cuetec cues until recently. He was endorsed by Cuetec for many years and won many, many tournaments with their cues. He won the million-dollar challenge using a cuetec cue.

I haven't played with a Cuetec cue, so I can't give you a direct recommendation on one, but the results that Allison and Earl produced speak for themselves. I know that these two players are world-class pool legends that could probably play well with about any cue, but they both played at a high level for many years, dominating their respective fields. For the money, the Cuetec cues are a good option. You can pick them up pretty cheap...just check out the ones I found at the right of this page.----->

Do you own a Cuetec cue?  Have you played with one?  I'd love to hear what you think.  Other players would love to hear your opinion before they plop down some hard-earned cash for one of them.

Cheers,
Skippy

Do you want to play with the same pool cue that Jasmin Ouschan uses? Well, now you know. She plays with a Mezz Cue with a Predator 314 shaft. She has a beautiful case made by Jack Justis. Justis makes here a new case every year. The Mezz cue is the same cue that Mika Immonen plays with along with a lot of pro Japanese players. She has a Predator BK2 break cue. Also, she uses a Stealth jump cue.

In the video, you'll see all of stuff that Jasmin uses to keep her equipment in tip-top shape, like shaft conditioners, tip shapers, chalk, etc. It's always interesting to see what people keep in their case. I always minimized what was in my case. How about you, what is in your case?

If you want to get some equipment like Jasmin uses, I've found some deals on Mezz, Predator and Stealth cues. Check them out to the right --->

Cheers,
Skippy